Jake Ballard expects to return to Giants in 2013

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 11, 2012, 5:25 PM EST

AP

When the Giants designated tight end Jake Ballard as waived/injured today, four months after he suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl and two months after he needed microfracture surgery on that injured knee, there was a quick outcry from some fans who thought the team was treating its injured player badly. But Ballard says that’s not the case.

After hearing from fans who didn’t think it was right that the Giants had waived him, Ballard took to Twitter to say he completely understood the business move and that he believes he will play for the Giants again.

“Thanks for love everyone but don’t worry, its a business, I’m on the road to recovery, and I believe I’ll be in a Giants uniform in ’13,” Ballard wrote.

The fact that Ballard is already pointing to the 2013 season underscores what a serious knee injury this is — it doesn’t sound like there’s any chance of Ballard playing at all this season. But assuming Ballard clears waivers, it appears that the Giants will re-sign him and work with him through a lengthy rehab process that, everyone hopes, has the 24-year-old Ballard getting ready to play a year from now.

Good luck Jake, if the NFL doesn’t work out, come up to Vancouver and ball for the Champion BC Lions. Or work for the Giants in the community like David Tyree. Get some legal HGH in LA ( Wellness Clinic) to speed the healing. and ask Kobe about the Stem cell treatment in Germany he gets for his knees every year.

I wouldn’t have waived him. He’s a solid #1 TE and an excellent complementary TE. I’d have kept him active till you can directly put him on IR without waiving him. If I was deciding for my team whether to claim him or not, I’d claim him. In a year, being able to put Ballard on the same field as Gronk and Hernandez would be devastating.

Low class move my behind. Both parties agree that they want each other back. The Giants had to free up a roster spot because of the new CBA restrictions during the offseason, Can’t afford to essentially waste a precious spot and carry around a guy who definitely will not play the entire year. Just like with Chad Jones.

stevebozeman says:
Jun 11, 2012 5:59 PM
Low class move by the Giants. He could have put on IR or PUP list. I don’t care what He says it was a bad decision for the team.
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It’s hardly a low class move by the Giants. They placed him on the waived/injured list which means they are still paying him and funding his rehab. By placing him on waivers, they’re actually giving him a better opportunity because another team is able to pick him up if they believe he can play this year.

Since there hasn’t been an announcement of an injury settlement, he’ll end up on the Giants’ IR list after he clears waivers.